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thicket happy are the school-hoys who ohtain a half 

 holiday; and few of the pleasures of life, either for pre- 

 sent enjoyment or after-thought, exceed those of such 

 an occasion. The kind master masters who occasion- 

 ally give such an indulgence are always kind good men 

 with a suppressed smile of satisfaction announces the 

 glad tidings, and immediately retires, that he may not 

 witness the somewhat indecorous haste with which 

 hooks and slates are laid aside, and hats and caps 

 scramhled for. Like a swarm of hees casting, they rush 

 out of school with a joyful hum, and then, spreading 

 themselves in groups upon the green, hold council 

 how they shall "best dispose of the portion of golden 

 time which has "been accorded to them per gratiam 

 domini through the kindness of the master. One party 

 is off to the meadow, to plague the farmer by tumhling 

 among the hay, when they pretend to assist him in 

 tedding it; another is gone to the wood and the coppice, 

 to cut sticks, gather flowers, and seek "bird-nests ; and 

 a third has determined to try the fishing, after taking 

 a "bathe in the Friar's Pool, as they go up the burn. 

 Those of the latter party who have rods, now produce 

 them, and a survey and fitting of tackle take place ; 

 while such as are not so well provided set out in search 

 of brandling worms and cad-bait ; their reward for such 

 service being a cast now and then, with the honor of 

 carrying the fish home. 



To attend our fishing-party : they have now had their 

 bathe in the Friar's Pool; the swimmers boldly plung- 

 ing in from the ledge of rocks at the head, and the 



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